Under-tile leak repairs
Roof repairs in Croydon.
Plenty of Croydon roofs look fine from the road and still leak, because the trouble is under the tiles. Older bitumen felt turns brittle and tears, and battens soften once they stay damp. We lift the affected area, see what is really happening and repair that section properly.
- Tile liftand relay over repaired felt and battens
- Photosof what is under your tiles
- Same dayusual reply to enquiries
What goes wrong under the tiles
Underfelt is the second line of defence, catching wind-driven rain that gets past the tiles. On older roofs it becomes brittle, especially at the eaves where it is exposed to sun, and it can tear or sag between rafters. Once water sits on battens, they start to rot and the tiles above lose their firm fixing.
- Torn or crumbling felt visible in the loft
- Felt sagging and holding water between rafters
- Dark, soft or broken battens
- Drips at the eaves in driving rain
Local repair or something bigger
A contained tear or a few bad battens can be dealt with by lifting that area, replacing the felt and battens, and relaying the tiles. If the felt is perished across the whole slope, patching one spot may only move the leak along. We show you photos of both the bad area and the surrounding felt, so the decision is yours.
- Tile lift and relay for contained damage
- Rotten battens replaced like for like
- Breathable membrane where a section is renewed
- A re-roof advised only when felt has failed widely
Croydon roofs where this happens
Much of the borough is interwar and post-war housing, from Addiscombe and Shirley out to Coulsdon and Purley, and many of those roofs have heavy concrete tiles on ageing felt. Older terraces around Thornton Heath and South Norwood can have no underfelt at all, relying on the tiles and mortar torching. Homes on the higher ground to the south also take more wind-driven rain.
- Interwar semis with original or early felt
- Post-war houses with concrete interlocking tiles
- Older terraces with no underlay
- Hillside homes exposed to driving rain
How the job works
- 1Inspect from inside firstThe loft shows the condition of felt and battens far better than the street does.
- 2Lift a test areaWhere needed, we raise a few tiles to judge the condition of the felt and battens around the leak.
- 3Agree the extentWe send photos and a written price showing exactly how far the repair needs to go.
- 4Rebuild the layersNew felt or membrane and battens go in, then tiles are relaid in the right order so water sheds cleanly.
Why choose us in Croydon
- Photos from under the tiles, so you can see the felt and battens for yourself.
- Written prices for the Croydon repair, set out before tiles are lifted for the main work.
- Honest advice if your felt can be patched, and honest advice if it can’t.
Common questions
Can roof felt be replaced without taking off the whole roof?
Yes, in many cases. We lift the tiles from the affected area, replace the felt and battens, and relay the tiles. It only makes sense if the surrounding felt is in reasonable condition.
My 1930s house has no felt in the loft. Is that a problem?
Not automatically. Many older roofs were built without underlay, and if the tiles are sound they can stay dry. It does make the roof less forgiving of slipped tiles, so it is worth keeping an eye on.
Why does my loft only drip in driving rain?
Driving rain can blow past tile laps and is then caught by the felt. If the felt is torn or sagging, that water gets through. A drip that only appears in bad weather often points to the underlay and not a broken tile.
Ready for a free, no-obligation quote?
Speak to our team today. London, Essex, Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds.